Multiconductor test terminal



Jan. 2, 1962 R. w. SEEGER 3,015,799

MULTICONDUCTOR TEST TERMINAL Filed Dec. 16, 1958 iofier/ W Seeyeg IN VEN TOR.

United States The present invention relates generally to terminal connectors for releasably clamping a plurality of wires, strands or conductors in electrical conductivity with each other, and is more particularly concerned with a multiconductor test terminal adapted to be utilized with a conventional type terminal connector, such for example as a plug receiving receptacle.

There are many times in hooking up test circuits for test operations, when it is desirable to connect a plurality of electrical conductors to a common terminal of the type normally adapted to receive a single plug connector.

With the foregoing in mind, it is one object of the herein described invention to provide terminal connection means of simple construction, which may be used with a conventional permanently installed connection fitting or terminal and utilized for the releasable connection of -a multiplicity of electrical conducting elements thereto.

Another object is to provide an improved multiconductor terminal connector of such construction that the number of connected conductors accommodated may be easily and readily increased by interconnecting two or more of the terminal connectors as described herein.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a composite view showing a side elevation of the test terminal of the present invention, certain portions being cutaway to disclose details of construction, and including conventional parts with which the present invention is utilized;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the test terminal; and

FIG. 3 is a vmodified construction of the same.

Referring more specific-ally to the drawings, the test terminal of the present invention is generally indicated at A. The test terminal, as will be more fully described subsequently, is arranged to permit the connection of a plurality of electrical conductors having conventional plug connectors 11 secured thereto, to a conventional electrical fitting 12 which is shown in this case as comprising a receptacle of conventional construction mounted on a panel 13. This fitting as ordinarily used is adapted to receive a single plug connector such as the plug connector 11. Should it be desired, for example during testing or temporary hook ups to connect other conductors to the electrical fitting, a problem is presented which often results in the utilization of makeshift connections which are far from satisfactory and may more often than not be the source of circuit troubles and erroneous results.

Having an appreciation of the foregoing, the present invention seeks to provide a multiconductor test terminal which is of simple construction and so arranged that it may be utilized with the electric fitting 12 to permit the connection of a multiplicity of conductors 10 with plug connectors 11. More specifically, the terminal A comprises an elongate member 14 which is shown as having one end 15 shaped to form a connecting element, in this case a plug or male member which is adapted for electrical connection with the receptacle or female component embodied in the electrical fitting 12. While the end atent 2 15 is shown as constituting a plug or male member, it is within the broad concept of the present invention to provide the end 15 in a form of a female member for cooperation with a male member embodied in the fitting 12.

The elongate member 14 has its other .end formed with a threaded portion 16, and adjacent the innermost end of the threaded portion is provided with a circumferentially extending abutment flange 17, The threaded portion is arranged to have a securing nut 18 threaded thereon. This nut cooperates with the flange 17 to clampingly engage therebetween a plurality of clamping plate members 19 and 2t For purposes of illustration, the clamping plate members are illustrated as being disc shaped, and of the same size to that their peripheral edges are coextensive. Moreover, the discs are centrally secured so that the peripheral edges are outwardly spaced from the point of securement. By constructing the clamping plate members of a springlike material, the peripheral margins may be forced apart by the insertion of a plurality of wires, strands or conductors therebetween and releasably held in clamped position.

In order to facilitate the reception of the wires, strands or conductors between the clamping plate members, and also permit the utilization of standard plug connectors 11 by which a plurality of conductors may be electrically connected, the plate members 19 and 20 are provided with edge deformations 21 which respectively are shaped to provide semicircular grooves which extend in a radial direction from the central axis of the elongate member 14, as shown in FIG. 2. The radially grooved portions on one of the discs may normally occupy a staggered relation with respect to the grooved portions on the other disc. However, in the present instance the grooved portions of the facing discs are shown as being complementary and cooperating to form a female receptacle for receiving the plug or male member of a plug connector, such as indicated by the numeral 11.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a modified construction wherein the plane of the discs instead of being at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member are positioned so that the plane of the discs will be at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member. In the modified form, the angle is shown as being or a right angle. In this form of the invention, the elongate member is provided with an intermediate portion between the end 15 and the flange 17 which includes an enlarged axially extending intermediate portion 22 which terminates in an abutment shoulder 23 at one end and is formed with a head portion 24 at its other end having the flange 17 integrally formed on one side thereof.

It will be appreciated that when it is desired to inter connect a greater number of conductors than may be accommodated by one of the test terminals of the present invention, several of these terminals may be interconnected merely by inserting one of the ends 15 into an edge deformity so that it will be clamped between the marginal or peripheral portions of the discs.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A multiconductor adapter for a single conductor terminal connector, comprising: an elongate member having one end formed to provide a mating connector element portion and its other end having a threaded portion; shoulder means at the inner end of said threaded portion; a nut threaded on said threaded portion; a plurality of coextensive discs of springy material on said member centrally secured in electrical contact between said shoulder and nut so as to leave the peripheral margins of the discs free for relative resilient deflection; and radially extending grooves in said discs terminating at their marginal edges for guidingly receiving electric conducting elements endwise therein, the conducting elements acting to resiliently force the disc edge margins apart so as to frictionally clamp the inserted elements between said discs.

2. A multiconductor adapter for a terminal connector, comprising: an elongate member having one end formed to provide an elongate connector pin element portion adapted for endwise insertion into a mating connector element, and its other end having an angularly directed threaded portion; shoulder means at the inner end of said threaded portion; a nut threaded on said threaded portion; a plurality of coextensive discs of sp-ringy material on said member centrally secured between said shoulder and nut so as to leave the peripheral margins of the discs free for deflection, the axis of said discs being angularly positioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of said mating connector element portion; edge deformations in said discs for guidingly receiving electric conducting elements endwise into frictionally clamped positions between said discs; and an abutment shoulder on said connector pin element positioned radially outwardly from the axis of the discs beyond the edges thereof. 

